Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-05-06
DAkIN EXPELLED.
Conclusion of the I Trial of Representa-
tive Dakin.

misfeasance venal and corrupt conduc I
in office, in soliciting and extorting mon
ey for procuring the passage of the Sagi
nav City charter hill.
The proceedings wee opened as usual
with prayer, after which the trial proper
began. Speaker Marley presiding. The
articles against him were re I'd,
then revision Of them was offered
only in the omission of the word
"unlawfully" in characterizing Mr..
Dakin actions. After the reading OF the
charges, the sergeant-at-arms summoned
the accused to come from his seat and
take place before the bar of the house.
Mr. Dakin came forward and took a seat
beside his counsel Judge Van Zlle OF
Charlotte, Judge Holden of Saginaw, and
Frank {. Dodge of Lansing.
struggle among the lawyers commenced
at once. Judge Holden rogue ted a bill of
particulars, giving the specific time,
amount and place where the alleged solicl-
tation FOR money took place. After much
sparring the request for particulars was
voted down 10y large majority, showing
the disposition Of the house TO steer clear
of iron-clad rdles. Mr.. Goodrich OF OF
tawa opened the case with an outline OF
what the prosecution expected TO prove
With much feeling he said that, although
he mouTned the fact, the prosecution
would establish that Dakin had committed
n misfeasance and IN tlfeasance in Office.
They would show not only that Dakin had
said his colleagues were corruptible. and
had solicited money with which TO buy
them. but that he had lied in attempting
TO shield himself lie had claimed that he
wanted this money TO feast his colleagues,
hut il would be shown that he intended 10
put the money in his own pocket This
action had disgraced the house and put
stain on IL which years alone could wipe
out.
In reply 10 the opening address of Mr..
Goodrich the defense put in a general
denial of the charges when Frederick l..
Eaton who filed the charges against
Dakin, took the stand. and testified that
he met Dakin in the corridor If the capital.
who told him that money had TO he rails Il
10 put the Saginaw bill through: that the
committee was all right but that some OF
the member had TO be bought. and that
such proceedings were all right. He met
Dakin a short time after, in company with
Representatives Fellows and Crowley. As
to the 1nVersation at Thu meeting Mr..
Eaton said | said, Now tell me exactly
what j. wanted Mr.. Dakin. TO secure the
passage of our bill He ,wered. As
told you before. we must have money |
asked. Can you, then, get favorable re
port from the commit e. y es he AID,
III we have enough money He continued,
We were out last night with seven OF the
BOYS and we got four of them solid. Then
Fellows spoke up and said he had never
promised any money. lie h q cit home
with $50, and II was used up. lnally asked
Ddkln now mutn money was nse'ltu, anu
he answered that he would have TO make
a canva of the members. He said, III we
go to a member and prom h m money,
and then don't have IL with us 10 pay HIM
J at once, we won't he likely To get him.
asked, is this prudent oh, yes, he said:
you need not be known; you give the
money TO Fellows, and I'll manage the
rest Dakin went on to explain that there
were "a G.. a K. members lie would see
a certain number of them and arrange the
amount of purchase and then Fellows
would see them. | asked is II usual To
buy these members and he answered. OF
course IL is Who are those menN |
asked He mentioned two member, whose
names | we forgotten; then | thought
OF roll call in my pocket and said
will have to be seen He took
the roll call and marked oft the names
and amounts on that list which | sent 10
the speaker with the charges
With the great st detail Mr.. Eaton told
the manner in which Dakln had checked
off the names of the members TO be pur
chased. Dakin had first checked oil names
without putting down the amount OF
money, but on further request he put
figures The total amounted TO SIPS
When RumSey's name was reached Dakin
said There's a man that I'll have 10 give
S25 to- Crowly said: I've met Rumsev,
and he is very able man" The restau
rant dinner bell sounded then, and we
turned TO go. Dakin put the roll call in
his pocket. hut | said. Let me see that
roll again. lie handed il TO me and
put il in my pocket While we were talk
ing i took a drink OF Will Ky and Dakin
took some sour wine. Crowley and Eel
lows each drank whisky.
The cross examination OF Eaton was
long and tedious and seemed TO serve no
purpose further than to strenCth then the Wit
ness testimony. He swore that he had
been member of the New Hampshire
legislature. The lawyers for Dakin then
made a somewhat V Tin attempt 10 show
that Eaton was inauencel by political
animosity.
Repre- entative Rumsey OF Ingham was
the next witness ca lie l. He was present
in the spea ,er's room on the 10th OF April.
with a number OF gentlemen. Mr.. Dakin
was sent for and made certain statements
which were taken down in writing. Mr..
RumSey said the members n the Speakers
room ielt s1m VIII Il indignant, but ex-
pressed no feeling against Dakln. or II they
did IL was in quiet and subdued way.
On the morning of the second day OF the
Dakin trial, proceedings commenced with
the examination OF Jay Smith. Mr. smith
said that he was druggist. and had re
sided in Saginaw CITY for thirty five
years. On the ]! tn of the present month
he came from Saginaw and met Messrs.
Eaton, Fellows and Dakin, between whom
a conversation occurred in relation TO the
that moth ng would be done on the charter
business that day. He stated that he ex-
pected Mr.. Shsckelton would fetch some
money with him, but he only brought a
little. He had given him some but II did
not amount to anything. IL was all gone.
Mr. Eaton then asked him what be wanted
TO do with the money and lie said he
wanted 70 u ii in getting the charter bill
passed by the house. Mr. Eaton asked
HIM what the trouble was, whether there
was any difficulty with the committee
or whether he wanted TO use the
money with the members OF the
house. His answer was that he wanted
to use il with the members OF the house.
Mr. Eaton a ked him if he meant TO be
understood that there were legislators
who votes could be obtained by the use
OF money. His answer was, "Of course. -
On cross-examination Mr. Smith said that
Dakin did not state how much money
Shackelton had given him.
David Crowley, who was examined by
Mr. Goodrich testified that he had resided
in Saginaw City twenty one years and
now kept a hotel there. lie was interested
in the passage OF the saginaw charter bill
and came TO Lansing fo1r times on bust
ness connected with IL, the asst time on
the Il Tn of Apri. On the corner of Wash
ington and Michigan avenues he met Mr..
Fellows and MIR. Dakin coming from the
caritot He asked how things looked for